Sleeping car construction



E. J. w. RAGSDALE 2.126,690

SLEEPING CAR CONSTRUCTION Aug. 9, 1938.

Filed April 7, 1937 EARL .lW RAGSDALE Patented Aug. 9, 1938 PATENT OFFICE 2,126,690 SLEEPING can CONSTRUCTION Earl J. W. Ragsdale, Norristown, Pa., assignor to Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 7, 1937, Serial-No. 135,452

Claims.

This invention relates to the construction and arrangement of seats and beds in the sleeping compartments of vehicles, particularly railroad this involves considerable labor and inconvenience.

The object of the present invention is to provide a sleeping compartment with seats so constructed and arranged that while they may be I converted into a bed, for night service, in the usual way, one of such seats may, when adjusted for day service, be conveniently employed, with- V out further change, as a full length couch or day bed.

To this end, the invention comprises the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter 5 described and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, and in which: I

. Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of arailroad car having a sleeping compartment equipped in accordance with the invention, and showing the 40 wall 2 is preferably provided with a door 3 affording access from the passageway to the sleeping compartment. Transverse walls 4, extending between the wall 2 and the wall of the car, divide the compartment A from. adjoining compart- 45 ments or rooms on either side.

' My improved equipment comprises a double width seat, having the bottom section 5 and the back section, 6. Opposite this double width seat is a triple width seat comprising a bottom sec- 50 tion I and back section 8 of double width and of the convertible type, and an additional 'section 9 of single. width.

'The double width seats 5, 6, and I, 8 are arranged facing each other in the usual manner, and the sections are movable or adjustable so that they may be converted into a bed. When so converted, the bottom sections 5 and I are shifted toward each other into substantial contact, as shown in Fig. 2, while the back sections 8 and 8 are shifted to horizontal position, so 5 that the four sections 5, 6,1 and 8 cooperate to, forma bed, in the well known manner. Meanwhile, the single width seat 9, which is structurally independent of the double width seat sections I and 8, remains in its original position m and may be employed as a chair.

Referring again to Fig. 1, in which the parts are shown as adjusted for day service, it will be seen that in my improved arrangement the single width seat 9 is disposed in line with the 15 double width seat I and with it forms a triple width seat which is long enough to constitute and is capable of use as a full length couch or day bed.

Thus it will be seen that the double width seat 20 section 1, when in one position, cooperates with the opposite double width seat 5 to form a bed for night service, and, when'in another position, cooperates with the single width seat 9 to'form a couch for day service.

From the foregoing, it will therefore be seen that my improved equipment provides a couch on which the occupant of the compartment or cabin may recline, when the seats are adjusted for day service, while at the same time the equipment provides the usual facilities by which a bed of standard size is available for night service.

What I claim is:

1. A sleeping compartment having a pair of seats of double width facing each other, the 3 bottom and back sections of each seat being movable into positions where they all cooperate to form a bed, and a third seat of single width mounted in line with one of said seats of double width and forming therewith a full length couch. 40 2. A sleeping compartment having opposed seats, oneof double width and the other of triple width adequate to provide a full length couch, the latter comprising a single width portion and an independently movable double width portion,

the-bottom and backsections of said double width portion being adjustable, and adapted to cooperate with similar sections of the first mentioned double width seat to form a bed. ,3. A sleeping compartment for a side aisle car and extending from the aisle to the side of the car opposite said aisle and having a pair of opposed, convertible, double width seats, and a third seat in line with one of said double width 2,1ee,eee

seats, and forming therewith a triple Width seat capable of use as a, full length couch.

4. The combination with a first double width convertible seat; and a single width seat, of a. second double width convertible seat, and means whereby said second double width seat may be arranged to cooperate either with said first double width seat to form a. bed, or with said single seat to form a full length couch.

5. A sleeping compartment including a. multiple pert seat oi a length adequate for use as a full length couch, and a. seat opposite to a part of the first seat, the opposite seat and the part of the first seat being movable jointly to a, bed forming position, the remainder of the first seat remaining a, seat alongside the bed.

EARL J. W. RAGSDALE. 

